Machu Picchu by Train

Welcome to Peru! Upon arrival at the Lima airport you'll be transferred to our hotel in the popular Miraflores district of the city. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the city before our welcome meeting at 6pm this evening where you will meet your tour leader.

Today we explore the beautiful city of Lima, also known as the 'city of kings', we'll visit the well preserved historical centre. Making our way through Plaza San Martin, we'll also take in Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace and the City Hall. Our tour of the city continues with a visit to the San Francisco Monastery and it's famous underground crypts which are home to an estimated 70,000 remains. This bright yellow architectural wonder is also home to an incredible library, holding thousands of antique texts, some of which pre-date the conquest in the 16th century.

Later we'll head through the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, passing by Huaca Pucllana, a clay pyramid that was the ceremonial and administrative centre of the Lima culture and later considered a sacred town by the Inca's. Next up we'll stop at El Olivar park, a peaceful space where we'll find olive trees that were brought to Peru in the 15th century from Spain. Our final stop on today's tour of Lima is El Parque del Amor, this romantic spot is situated on the cliffs of Miraflores overlooking the Pacific ocean.

The rest of the day is at leisure for you to explore this fascinating city at your own pace. With Lima fast becoming one of the gastronomic capitals of the world, be sure to taste some of the delicious local cuisine. (B)

Lima - Puerto Maldonado. This morning we head to the airport for our flight to Puerto Maldonado, our gateway to the Amazon jungle. Upon arrival we'll travel by canoe to our lodge for the next two nights. After a break for lunch we'll stretch our legs with a jungle walk, during which we'll learn all about primary and secondary rainforest. This evening we'll embark on a Twilight River excursion to learn about ecosystems, constellations and nocturnal animals, followed by a delicious dinner.

On day 4 we hop in a canoe and sail out onto our lodge's private cocha. Whilst floating on the peaceful water, you can try some native fishing techniques and admire the stunning surroundings. We'll then disembark the boat at the ruins of the Fitzcarrald steam boat and learn a bit about its history before heading back to our lodge for lunch. Next up is a cruise to Rolin river island, where we'll do a spot of bird-watching and wander through its beautiful vegetation. Finally we will check out the lodge's inland collpa, walking to one of their four clay licks. After learning all about collpas and looking for animal tracks we will head back to the lodge for dinner. (Bx2/Lx2/Dx2)

Puerto Maldonado - Cusco. We take a canoe ride back to Puerto Maldonado for our flight to Cusco on day 5. After hotel check in spend the rest of the day at leisure adjusting to the altitude. This beautiful city full of history and intrigue, is located 3,399m above sea level.

The following morning we enjoy a tour of Cusco and its nearby ruins taking in some of the city's most important landmarks. We'll start at the Plaza de Armas, built on the remains of one of the most important Incan gathering spots, it's one of the most beautiful squares in the country. We'll also visit the Cathedral, the Kenko Amphitheatre and the impressive Sacsayhuaman Fortress. Built between 1438 and 1474, Sacsayhuaman Fortress took over 20,000 labourers to build and some of the magnificent stone work measures over 4 metres in height and over 100 tons in weight. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to do any independent exploring of Cusco. (Bx2)

Cusco - The Sacred Valley. Today we enjoy a full day tour of the Sacred Valley. Our first stop is the popular Pisac Markets, where artisans from the region get together and exchange or buy and sell their products. Originally only held on Sundays, Pisac Market was a place for artisans from across the region to trade in their products. Today the market is a daily occurrence where locals and visitors alike can find some of the finest textiles, jewellery and clothing typical of this area of Peru. There's plenty of time to explore the market, see the variety of colourful handicrafts and textiles on offer, and barter for souvenirs.

This afternoon we visit Ollantaytambo's fortress with its enormous Inca terraces constructed on the side of a steep mountain. One of the best examples of Incan architecture, many of the inhabitants of Ollantaytambo still live according to the customs and traditions they have inherited from generations of ancestors, leading to it being known as a living Inca town. After a tour through the area we check into our hotel for the night. (B)

Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu - Cusco. Today is the day you've been waiting for as you finally get a chance to witness first hand one of the most fascinating ancient sites in the world. In the morning we will take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes and then board the bus to Machu Picchu – remember to look out the windows as the scenery along the way is utterly breathtaking.

Situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba River and surrounded by tropical forest, the Inca city enjoys a truly spectacular setting. When we get there, a guided tour will take us through the citadel. Built in the classical Inca style with polished dry-stone walls and terraces that seem to have been crafted naturally from the rock escarpments, Machu Picchu is a spectacular testament to the greatness of the Inca civilisation. The ruins are divided into the Urban and Agricultural Sectors with features ranging from terraced fields and water fountains to storage buildings, guardhouses and religious temples as well as bridges on the trails leading out of the citadel. After the tour there's plenty of time independently explore and take photos before we take the train back to Cusco from Aguas Calientes. (B)

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. A transfer will take you to Cusco airport for your onward travel. Adios! (B)